Rozten was not originally scheduled to face Umar, but when his training partner was forced to withdraw from the bout, he filled in as a replacement at the eleventh hour.

“I only got the call the night before the fight, since one of my former teammates did not pass the medical check-up,” the 30-year-old from Bandung, Indonesia explains.

“My manager asked whether I wanted to step up or not. Nobody forced me, but I decided to go for it. I did the medical check-up in the morning, and then I rushed to the arena.”

Despite his lack of preparation, it ended up being an exciting clash between Indonesian warriors from different martial arts backgrounds. Rozten was a regional boxing champion, whereas Umar was a Muay Thai competitor.

Their non-stop, back-and-forth action brought everyone in attendance at the Jakarta Convention Center to their feet, as both men furiously exchanged strikes in the center of the cage.

Although the Bandung resident put forth a valiant effort, his energetic adversary proved to be too much. “King Kong” overwhelmed him with his punches, kicks, and knees, and he wound up scoring a TKO at the 4:20 mark of the opening round.

Rozten admits the lack of notice played a significant role in his first defeat as a mixed martial arts professional, as well as some injuries, which delayed his return to competition.

“I ran out of gas midway through the first round,” he explains.

“My hands also got injured in my last fight with Umar. After that, I did a lot to make sure they healed, and surprisingly, it took less time than expected.”

Now fully recovered, Rozten will use the lessons he learned and apply them to his rematch with “King Kong” this weekend.

Also, the boxer has been reviewing the tape from his initial encounter with his rival from Ternate to see where the 25-year-old’s weaknesses lie, and where he might utilize his own strengths.

“My team and I have been studying the video, so I know how I can face Umar,” Rozten explains.

“I also have a lot of support from my friends and students. My managers and coaches had a really good plan coming into this training camp.”

With a full eight-week training camp under his belt, Rozten is confident he will emerge victorious in the rematch.

Though the spirited athlete has a tremendous amount of respect for Umar, he believes there is one crucial factor that sets him apart from his compatriot, which is his willingness to learn from his defeats.

“I am an accomplished boxer and have been in lots of wars. I believe in my path to victory because I never have – and will never – stop learning,” Rozten explains.

“I feel very prepared for this fight. Back then, I only had less than 24 hours to prepare, but now I am well-prepared. You will see a better version of Egi Rozten, and hopefully, I will come out of the fight with a medal on my chest.”